The Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) has launched training on its new Green Star New Build V2 rating tool for new buildings and buildings that have undergone major refurbishments – the first substantial update to the Green Star tool since its initial development in 2008.

The training was developed through two years of market research and stakeholder engagement, ensuring that SA’s property keeps pace with global best practice and increasing market demands while broadening the definition of what it means to build green and to be future ready.

“Buildings are shaped by people. The Green Star New Build V2 training will equip developers, professionals and contractors with the knowledge and frameworks to shape the buildings of tomorrow,” says GBCSA Head of Technical and Executive Director, Georgina Smit. “Green Star New Build V2 is designed to go beyond mere building efficiency. It provides a framework to ensure green buildings are resilient to energy insecurity, water scarcity, and rising temperatures.”

The launch of the Green Star New Build V2 training comes at a pivotal time for SA’s property sector. Certified property assets are consistently outperforming their non-certified peers, with investors and tenants increasingly rewarding proven sustainability. According to the 2024 MSCI South Africa Green Annual Property Index, certified prime and A-grade offices showed returns of 10.1% versus 8.9% for non-certified buildings (total return). At the same time, the 2025 edition of Green Building in South Africa: A Guide to Costs and Trends reports that the average premium for certified offices has dropped from 5.95% to 2.40% between 2009 and 2024. Some projects achieved certification at less than 0.5% additional cost.

Together, these findings confirm the financial advantage of green-certified buildings – stronger returns, more resilient cashflows, and a declining cost barrier to entry. Equipping property professionals with the knowledge to apply Green Star New Build V2 is essential to maintaining this momentum and embedding measurable sustainability across the market.

“The business case is crystal clear: certified green buildings reduce risk, attract tenants, and protect long-term value. Our Green Star New Build V2 tool gives the market a practical tool to deliver those outcomes with credibility,” comments GBCSA CEO, Lisa Reynolds.

Green Star New Build V2 provides a unified framework to define what a good green building is for the market. It applies across all building asset categories including commercial, industrial, and public buildings. This means a more streamlined and efficient process than its predecessor, which was individualised for each building asset type.

Some notable features of the new tool include minimum performance standards for energy and water; a bigger focus on the ‘S’ of ESG to respond to pressing socio-economic challenges of SA; broader categories including carbon, resilience, health, inclusivity, and a circular economy, as well as alignment with global ESG frameworks.

Sign up for Green Star New Build V2 training below:

Visit the GBCSA Academy for further information.